Drum type unit installation



June 2, 1953 J. w. VOTYPKA DRUM TYPE UNIT INSTALLATION 3 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1949 INVENTOR. J0 HN W.VOTYPKA I Y E R rm m June 2, 1953 J. w. VOTYPKA 2,640,682

DRUM TYPE UNIT INSTALLATION Filed Aug. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T T TI Hll I INVENTOR. JOHN w. VOTYPKA ATTORNEY June 2, 1953 J. w, VQTYPKA 2,640,682

DRUM TYPE UNIT INSTALLATION Filed Aug. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mpunimlulu 95 FIG.4. 158

ATTORNEYS Patented 'June 2, .1953

UNITED STATES 'QF FI C E John *W.'V:otyIpka, Detroit, Mich.', assignorzto'sne-v troit HarvesterCompa-ny, Detroit, Mich., a corporation .of Michigan Application August '1, 1949, Serial-No.'107,84'7

.5 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a drum type un'it installation and more particularly, to mechanism' including a drum ior e'iiecting power manipulationof a collapsible top=of a motor vehicle.

It=is an-object of the present invention to providefia dr'um type unit characterized by the simplicity and efficiency of the "drum for effecting movement of control cables,'and-bythe economy with which therstruc'ture may be produced.

It is-a iurther bject of the present invention to provide power means for manipulating the collapsible top-f a motor vehicle comprising-control-cables for the top,"the particular invention being specifically in, the provision "of a power driven drum, the construction of the drum, the means for mounting the drum, and the means for :connecting thedrum' to motor means.

vOther objects and features of-theinvention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken inconj-unction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

lii'gure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of a vehicle.

Figure 2 is an enlarged'perspective view of-the cable drum illustrated in'Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the cable'drum, mounting means and motor means therefor.

Figure 4 is a plan view'of the structure shown in'Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 3.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated the upper portion of a motor vehicle comprising curved roof rails l0 and [2 which at their'front end are supported'by front corner posts l4 and I6 respectively. Across the'front end and between the roof rails Ill and [2 is a fixed header bar which inFigure 1 is concealed by a slida'ble'header bar Ill. The header bar It is provided with guidemeans cooperating with the roof rails l0 and i2 and is slidable-therealongfrom a'pos'ition adjacent the'fixed' header 'bar to a position adjacent the rearof the vehicle. In use; a flexible cover 'fabric (not shown) such for example as canvas or the like issecured adjacent its rear end to the rear o'fthe vehicle and is secured adjacent its forwardend to the movable header bar [8. Intermediateportionsof the top fabric are secured to the slidable 'crossxbows and- 22.

Means are provided for directly sliding the movable header bar l8 from the forward position shown in Figure 1 to a rear :position' which uncoverssubstantiallythe entire top' of the vehicle. illustrated inl Figure 1' this means comprises a pair of cables. Oneoi the; cables comprisesa portion 24 to which is rigidly clamped vaibracket 26 extending rearwardly from .the header bar 18, andit comprises asecond generally parallelportion 28. Suitablepulleys or. sheavesare provided, one such being indicated at 30 :and located adjacent the front end of the roof rail H3. The cable portions Z IandVZB leadirespectively around pulleys .32 and '34 and thence to the cable drum 36 which will be described in detail. In like manner, theopposite side of .themovablerheader bar I8 is connected by'a bracket 381:0 a'firstv cable portion in which passes-around a pulley 42 and thence to the cable-drum 36. The other portion 44 of :the ;cable passes around a pulley 46 and thence to the'cable drum 36. Theccableportions and i i are separated byapulley 48 located adjacentthe front end of the roof rail :12.

Referring now to FigureZ and Figures 3-5, the cable drum 36 is a relatively large hollow drum open at one end, the other endofithe drum bein closed by a transverse wall 50. The periphery of the drum 36 as bestseenin Figures 4and 5, is provided'with a continuous helically .disposed groove'fil which'is of a size'toaccommodate the actuating cables and which groove is continuous from one end to the other oithe drum.

The ends of the cables pass through lateral openings in thedrum and are securedlto clampingmeans located within the drum. Specifically, the cable portion, after 'passing'around the pulley -32 :asseen in Figure '2, is wound around the drum and its end portionextends through lateral opening 52 thereinand is engaged by'a clamping screw 54 threaded into a suitably tapped :recess provided in an inwardly extending boss 56 located at the open end'of thedrum. 'As be-stseen in Figure l the boss 56 is-preferablyprovided-ior the full-lengthiat the inside .of thedrum although'this is not essential.

The cable portion 281after passing-around the pulley -34, is wound around the drum and then passes-through a lateral opening 58 located substantially midway between the .open end and the closed'end of thedrum; .Insidethe-drum the :cable 28 has its end secured to a :clamping device .66. As best'sevenin FiguresZ ,andi5nzthe clamping device-60 comprises a'post 62threaded into a suitably tapped recessLin a lateral enlarged boss 64 formed ona transverse'rib'65. The post 62 isiprovided with an opening 66 and the end of. the postis tapped for the reception of aclamping screw 68 which is held in place in clamped relation 'by-means' of a-lock nut "10.

The cabIe portion-MD afterpassing around the pulley 46, is wound around the drum 38 and then extends into the drum through lateral opening 58 beside cable 28 where it is secured to a clamping device indicated generally at I4. The clamping device I4 is similar to the clamping device 60 as seen in Figures 2 and 5, and comprises a post I6 threaded into a suitably tapped recess in a laterally extending boss I8 formed on the transverse rib 65. The post I6 is provided with an opening 80 through which one end of the cable extends. A clamping screw 82 is provided in a tapped opening in the end of the post and is adapted to engage the cable. A locking nut 84 is provided to retain the screw 82 in adjusted position.

The cable 44 after passing around the pulley 42, is wound around the drum 36 and then passes through a lateral hole 86 where the end of the cable is secured to a clamping screw 88. As best seen in Figures 3 and 4 the clamping screw 88 is threaded into a tapped hole in the end wall 50 of the drum 36.

With the construction thus described and the parts in the position shown in Figure 1, rotation of the drum 36 in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 90, will draw in on the cable portions 24 and 40, to which the brackets 26 and 38 respectively are clamped. At the same time the cable portions 28 and 44 are payed out at an equal rate due to the fact that the cables are wound in helical passages on the drum so that the drum is of constant effective diameter. Winding up the cables 24 and 40 on the drum has the effect of drawing the slidable header bar I8 rearwardly. As soon as the header bar reaches the cross bow 20 the cross how will also slide rearwardly and will pick up the rear cross bow 22 and move it to the rear. When the direction of motion of the cables is reversed the header bar I8 is moved forwardly and the fabric secured thereto will successively pick up the cross bows 20 and 22 and move them to the position shown in Figure 1.

A unitary motor and drum assembly is provided and includes a combined transmission housing and bracket I on which a reversible electric motor I02 is mounted.

Referring now particularly to Figures 3-5 the transmission housing and bracket I00 is provided with three laterally extending flanges I84, I and I06 by means of which the bracket is mounted on a suitable portion of the vehicle. The bracket I00 has side walls [I2 and H4, end walls H6 and H8, and a bottom wall [20. The open top of the transmission housing thus provided is closed with a removable cover plate I22.

The motor I02 is secured to the end wall I I6 of the transmission housing portion of the bracket by elongated fastening screws I24, and is controlled by switch I25 on the dash.

As best seen in Figure 3 the spindle I26 of the motor has keyed or otherwise suitably secured thereto, a driving worm I 28. Extending transversely between the side walls H2 and H4 of the transmission housing is a drive shaft I30, suitable bearings being provided where the shaft passes through the walls H2 and H4. Located between the walls I I 2 and I I4 and keyed or otherwise suitably secured to the shaft I30 is a worm gear I32 which is in mesh with the worm I28. Located on the portion of the shaft I30 which projects beyond the wall H4 is a driving pinion The drum 36 at its closed end is provided with an axially extending annular peripheral flange 4 I40 and the interior surface of the flange I40 is provided with internal teeth I42 adapted to mesh with the teeth of the driving pinion I30. On its exterior surface the end closure 50 of the drum has an outwardly extending boss I46 which is provided with an aperture I4! extending completely therethrough. Inside the drum 36 the transverse rib 65 has an axially extending boss I48 through which the aperture I4'I extends.

In order to mount the drum 36 on the bracket I00, the walls H2 and H4 of the bracket are provided with aligned openings I50 and I52 in which is journalled a mounting shaft I54. The shaft I54 extends completely through the bracket I00 and also completely through the opening in the boss I46 on the drum to the interior of the drum. As best seen in Figures 2-5 the shaft I54 is provided at its ends with annular grooves in which suitable retaining clips I56 and I58 are secured. f

The foregoing construction provides a very substantial support for the drum, since the drum in effect engages the mounting shaft I54 throughout the opening I41 which extends from one end of the top of the boss I48 to the opposite end of the boss I41. Moreover, the shaft I54 is given very strong support by the widely'spaced bearings provided where it passes through the openings I50 and I52.

Referring again to the securing of the cables in the drum, the construction facilitates the initial assembly of the structure. The ends of the the clamping screws 54 and 88 respectively. cables 24 and 40 are initially clamped beneath the clamping screws 54 and 88 respectively. Thereafter the cable portions 28 and 44 are passed through the through openings in the posts 62 and '16 respectively and may be drawn up through these openings to secure the desired tension in the cables. Thereafter, the set screws 68 and 82 respectively are tightened down to clamp the cables in properly tensioned position after which the respective lock nuts are threaded down tight- The foregoing arrangement also provides for accurate maintainence of cable tension since all turns of the cables on the drum are at the same effective diameter due to the provision of the helical grooves therein. The grooves also of course prevent crossing over of cable turns on the drum. Moreover, the described connection of the cable ends to the drum provides for maximum of the drum. As one of the cable portions is unwound from the drum a second cable portion is wound thereon to occupy the space just vacated by the cable portion being unwound.

The foregoing construction provides a very simple mounting device which supports both the cable drum and the motor and provides a hous-' ing for the transmission means which drives the cable drum. Moreover, the bracket I08 includes a transmission housing portion within which all portions of the transmission except the drum driving pinion I34 are located.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved drum type unit installation in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Cable drive means comprising a hollow cable drum having one closed end and one open end,

drum, an opening adjacent each end of said drum and an opening substantially midway between the ends of said drum, each cable having an end extending through one of said openings adj acent the end of the drum, and the other end extending through the opening midway between the ends of said drum, clamping means within said drum comprising a boss adjacent the open end of said drum having a tapped hole therein, a tapped hole at the closed end of said drum, clamping screws in said tapped holes, a pair of posts extending axially inwardly of said drum from the closed end thereof, said posts having transverse cablereceiving openings adjacent their free end and clamping screws threaded into the free ends of said posts to engage portions of cable received in said transverse openings.

2. A drum for driving a pair of cables, said drum having an open end and a closed end, a transverse rib diametrically disposed on the inside of the closed end of said drum, said rib having a central laterally extending boss, an opening extending through said boss axially of said drum for receiving a shaft for mounting said drum for rotation, said rib being provided with laterally extending bosses at opposite sides of said central boss, said last mentioned bosses having openings therein extending parallel to the axis of said drum, posts in said last mentioned openings, and means on said posts for securing cable ends thereto.

3. A drum as defined in claim 2, said drum having an inwardly extending boss adjacent its open end on its inner wall, a tapped opening therein for receiving a cable clamping screw, said drum having a tapped opening in its closed end at the same side as said last mentioned boss for receiving a cable clamping screwysaid drum having three radially extending openings through its side wall, one of said last mentioned openings being adjacent the open end of said drum to admit a cable end for engagement with a screw in the inwardly extending boss, another of said last mentioned openings being midway between the ends of the drum to admit two cable ends for engagement with said posts, and the third of said last mentioned openings being adjacent the closed end of said drum to admit a cable end for engagement by a screw in the opening in the closed end of said drum.

4. A self-contained cable drive assembly comprising a hollow bracket having spaced opposed walls, a drum shaft journalled in both of said walls and extending outwardly beyond one of said walls, a drive shaft parallel to said drum shaft and journalled in both of said walls and extending outwardly beyond said one wall, a hollow drum having an open end remote from said bracket and a closed end wall adjacent said bracket, means on said closed end wall mounting said drum on said drum shaft, said drum having an annular projection extending toward said bracket from said end wall, gear teeth on the inner side of said projection, a pinion on said drive shaft meshing with said gear teeth, a motor carried by said bracket and having a shaft extending into said bracket and gearing connecting said drive shaft and motor shaft.

5. Structure as defined in claim 4 comprising a pair of cables each having end portions wrapped around said drum, said drum having radial openings through its side walls, the ends of said cables extending through said openings, and clamping means within said drum engaging the ends of said cables.

JOHN W. VO'I'YPKA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 789,715 Cassidy May 16, 1905 806,401 Dawson Dec. 5, 1905 1,459,032 Norling June 19, 1923 1,545,545 Brey July 14, 1925 2,250,269 Lockwood July 22, 1941 2,331,763 Capps Oct. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 372,904 Germany Apr. 4, 192 3 

